Ceiling structure and tile therefor



Aug. 13, 1963 cso 3,100,319

I V CEILING STRUCTURE AND TILE THEREFOR Filed May' 16, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. .Zlarz'en JZ. 621715072 United States Patent 01 groans Patented Aug. 13, 1963 ice 3,100,319 CEILING STRUCTURE AND THE THEREFGR Lorien A. Carlson, Cloquet, MimL, assignor to Wood Conversion Company, St. Paul, Minn, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 16, 1960, Ser. No. 29,535 Claims. (Cl. 4)

The present invention relates to tiled ceilings, to tile therefor, and mounting means for assembling tiles.

Tile ceilings conventionally display at the ceiling face a plurality of rectangular tiles, commonly squares, assembled edge to edge with no visible means of support. It is frequently necessary to remove a tile for effecting work behind it, and then to replace the removed tile without leaving a scar in the assembly.

The present invention provides a tile which can be readily assembled with others to form such a ceiling and which may be removed and replaced without leaving evidence of such removal. The invention, therefore, involves also the mounting means which complementary to the tile.

In general, such ceilings are hung from a beyond-theceil-ing support, for convenience herein referred to as a roof. It is customary to provide a space between the roof and the tile ceiling for installing utilities, which may be electric conduits, water pipes, steam pipes, ventilating or air-conditioning ducts, and the like.

From the roof are hung a series of spaced parallel stringers defining a horizontal plane, for example, channels at four-foot intervals. To the channels are fastened crosswise thereof a series of parallel runners spaced apart a distance the same as one dimension of a rectangular panel to be assembled and carried by the runners. Various means or structures are available, when it is desired, to cooperate with various edges of the panels, and such means are best designed and constructed to facilitate assembling tile to form a ceiling.

By use of the structures of the present invention, a runner is used to mount a line of tile at alined edges thereof in particular by relatively inserting a horizontal flange of a runner into a kerf in an edge of each tile. The series of hangers is so mounted that the said flanges thereof all point in the same direction, and the assembly of tiles proceeds in the direction.

After said first or kerfed edge of a tile or of tiles in a row is hung on such flange, the tile needs additional support to maintain it in a self-sustaining or substantially horizontal position, so that it may be eventually carried at its third edge, opposite said first edge, by the next forward runner.

According to this invention, the builk of the tiles to be fixedly mounted at said first edge, will, when so mounted, form a sealed joint with the third edge of the adjacent tile. Said third edge of said adjacent tile which is presented to receive the first edge is free of the runner which eventually will carry it. The third edge of the rear tile has an undercut portion at the ceiling side leaving an overhanging flange portion. The first edge of the the to receive the runners flange has at the side of its flangereceiving kerf toward the exposed ceiling face of the tile an outwardly projecting flange fitting into said undercut portion for supporting said overhanging flange and sealing the joint, thus to carry the rear .tile indirectly by the runner when not otherwise supported, as by the splines hereinafter described.

Although the said third edge of said rear tile may be supported by the hand of the operator until the two flanges overlap, the present invention avoids this by means having additional functions.

The second and fourth edges of each tile are square cut edges, each with a spline-receiving kerf below the level of the flange-receiving kerf. The spline-receiving kerfs are so arranged that in an assembly of tiles the cross-section of the kerf is continuous lengthwise from tile to tile, and is extended crosswise from tile to tile by opposing locations of kerfs in the second and fourth edges. The opposed kerfs provide a channel in which a spline may be slidably mounted. The spline has a length shorter than its -spline-receiving kerf and a width such that it must lie in two opposing spline-receiving kerfs in an assembled ceiling.

The lengthwise extent of a spline normally spans a joint between adjacent tiles, and it is slidable in the channel to free that joint to permit removal of a tile as later explained.

However, the splines have an additional function of initially supporting each last-installed tile mounted on a runner at its first edge and unmounted at its third edge, until a following tile is mounted at its first edge, whereby to give final support.

Tiles are mounted by first forming a row or line of tiles joining the first and third edges, so that a completed row or fraction thereof presents at either the second or third edges a continuous length of spline-receiving kerfs. Into this length wide splines are inserted, so that half the width of the spline is in kerfs and half projects. Each spline crosses the joint and lies in two adjacent tiles. As a result, there is a right angle of flanges to receive a tile in a row to follow, one leg of the right angle being that of a runner for receiving the first edge of a tile, and the other leg of the right angle being alined splines in alined kerfs of the already mounted row or portion thereof.

Then a tile, designated A for reference, is fitted with its first edge onto the flange of a runner in position offset laterally from final position to clear the said leg of halfsplines and slightly lowered at its third edge to clear the runner at its third edge until in place on the runners flange. Then it is leveled and shifted from said offset position to final position by movement to receive the splines in its spline-receiving kerf. The tile A is thus held at its first edge and one of its two adjacent edges.

Then at the runner which lies ahead of its free third edge of tile A, the process is repeated and the projecting flange at the ceiling side of a newly mounted tile B, supports said free third edge of tile A, giving threeedge support to tile A. Into the kerfs of the fourth edge of tiles A and B and those in line with them, are placed splines for supporting tiles in the following row.

By reason of the structure and arrangement above described, the joints at the four edges of each tile are sealed against breathing and against any slight opening of a joint.

The invention may be carried out by structures shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a broken view in elevation of a single rectangular tile, taken on the line 11 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a side-elevation of the tile of FIG. 1 taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view showing the righthand edge of the tile of FIG. 1 with the metal support removed.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing two tiles identical with the tile of FIG. 1 as they are joined at a support therefor.

FIG. 5 is a perspective .view of a spline.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-section of a spline taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5, showing its position in one tile in readiness to receive an adjacent tile, as illustrated in FIG. 7.

FIG. 7 is a perspective cut-away view of a portion of an assembled ceiling showing the relationship of tiles, splines and runners.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show a tile suitable for the invention 7 above described. FIG. 1

is a' plan view of the upper face 10of a tile 11 showing a fragmentary length of a runner 12., with its vertical .web 13 in cross-section and itshorizontal flange 14 holding the tile.

The tile shown in FIG. 1 has in the clockwise direction,

a first edge. 15, second edge 16, third edge 17, and fourth edge 18. Edges 16 and 18 are square-cut edges. First edge 15 is rabbetted, with an upper edge face 15' and a lower edge face 15" as the edge of a projecting flange 20.

The third edge. 17 is also rabbetted with anupper edge face 17 as the edge of an upper projecting flange 21, and a lower edge face 17" complementary to edge 15" in an assembly. 1

First edge 15 at face 15' iskerfed at 22 to receive runner flange 14, the kerf 22 being located above coplanar spline-receiving kerfs' 2.3 and 24, respectively, inv the second and fourth edges 16 and 18. p FIG. 4 shows in vertical elevation a fragment of an assembledceiling at a joint, showing side edges 16 of two tiles; ofwhich, corresponding parts are identically numbered. ,The runner 12 is shown as a channel with an upper flange 12', by which it is mounted by means not shown, to a hanger suspended from a roof. The numeral 26 represents in cross-sectiona flat base of a spline 27 (FIG. whichhastwo stiifening ribs 23 "upstanding on the same side of the base, shown with exaggerated thickness, and a hole 29 centered'in each end 30 of the spline. the spline fit tightly in the kerfs 23 and 24.

Flange 21 is not wider than flange 20, and preferably is slightly shorter to provide clearance space 31 between The invention is not limited to the details of the illustrative embodiment shown in the drawings, and changes and modifications are contemplated as falling within the The jribs have a height making 26 down'with ribs .up. The right-hand spline is inverted with its base 26 up and ribs down. Thus, the ends 30 and 30 of adjacent splines may overlap in a common channel to permit one spline to slide over the other. By inserting'a suitable and thin tool into a joint betweenadjoining side edges 16 and 17, and against the splines or ends of splines, or in holes in said ends, the four splines in a tile may be slid entirely out of, the tile and into the adjacent tiles and superimposed on the'splines in the .adjacent tiles. Thus, the tile is freed from lateral support at the second and third edges and remains in'place by its first edge enclosing a runner flange 14, and'its third edge held up by an adjacent flange 2.0 underlying its own flange '21. As may be seen in FIG. 4, this third edge may be lifted so that the tile occupies dotted line position 11' and in such position the tile may be moved in the direction of arrow 32 and thereby pulled away from a flange 14 at its first edge. Thus, it is easily removed without moving adjacent tiles, It may be replaced by reversing the procedure, and sliding the splines back into place.

Although it is preferred that the third edge be sup ported by the flange 20, it is obvious that this support may be dispensed with, because the rigidity of the tile and the two splines 'in its edgesprovide suflicient support.

However, this support exists only when the splines are in place. Whenithey are slid out of a tile to remove it, the tile would drop except for the support by flange 20. 'Accordingly, the supporting flange 20'may be dispensed-with, but with said resulting disadvantage.

The structure is such that each tile is sealed about its .edges against breathing through the joint, the overscope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rectangular ceiling tile to be hung on horizontal runners in an assembly of a plurality of such tiles, said tile having a kerf lying in a first plane in a first edge and having a kerf in each of the two adjacent edges and in a common second plane, said planes being parallel to that face of the tile to be exposed when mounted in a ceiling, each of said kerfs in said second plane having at least a portion thereof located between the kerf in said first plane and said exposable ceiling face of the tile.

, 2. A tile according to claim 1 in which the kerf of the first edge is offset from the kerfs in the two adjacent edges.

3. A' tile according to claim 1 in which the fir-st edge has a flange projecting from the sideofthe kerf therein toward said exposable ceiling face with the lower face of the flange extending said exposable ceiling face of the tile, said flange having an upper face parallel with said exposable ceilingface, and in which the edge opposite said first edge has a projecting flange with a lower face in the pl-ane of said upper face, the first-edge flange being at least as wide as the flange at said opposite edge.

7 4. Arceilingcomprising a plurality of assembled rectangular tiles, a plurality of equally spaced parallel runners, and a plurality of splines, each runner having a vertical depending web and a terminal horizontal flange, said runners being mounted with said flanges extending in the same direction in a common plane, each tile having a first edge with a kerf therein containing a said flange, said kerf being in a first plane: parallel to the exposable ceiling face of the tile, each tile having in each of its second and fourth edges adjacent said first edge a' splinerecei ving kerf in a common second plane parallel to said first plane and between said exposable ceiling face and said terminal flange, each spline being an elongated strip of metal capable of sliding in a spline-receiving kerf and along another spline in the same kerf, the length of the spline being not greater than the length of the splinereceiving kerf, each spline being positioned with its two ends in kerfs of adjacent joined tiles and its side edges in kerfs of adjacent joined tiles, said first edge of each tile having a first flange extending outwardly away from the opening of its kerf and below the-said opening, the lower face of said flange extending said exposable ceiling face of the tile, and the upper face of said flange being parallel to said ceiling face, the third edge of; each tile opposite tangular tiles, a plurality of spaced parallel runners, and

a plurality of splines, each'runner having a vertical depending web and a terminal horizontal flange, said runners being mounted with said flanges extending in the same direction in a common plane, each tile having a first edge with a kerf therein containing a said flange, said kerf being in a first plane parallel to the exposed ceiling face of the tile, each tile having in each of its second and fourth edges adjacent said first edge a splinereceiving kerf in a common second plane parallel to said first plane and between said exposed ceiling face and said terminal flange, whereby in joined second and fourth edges the kerfs thereof are coplanar and form a splinereceiving channel extending to adjacent tiles joined at their respective first and third edges, splines in said chan- 'nels,'each spline being an-elongated strip of metal capable I of sliding in a spline-receiving channel and along another splinein the same channel, the length of the spline being not greater than the length of the spline-receiving kerf in a tile, each spline being positioned across the joint of first and third edges.

6. A rectangular ceiling tile having a body portion between two parallel planes defining a top face and an exposable ceiling face, said body having at a first edge a lowermost portion of the body extending as a first flange, and having at the opposite and third edge an uppermost portion of the body extending as a second flange, the first flange being at least as wide as the second flange, and the total thickness of the two flanges being not greater than the thickness of the body, the upper face of the first flange and the lower face of the second flange being coplanar, the second and fourth edges of the body being square-cut and having kerfs therein in a common plane parallel to said two planes, and said first edge above said first flange having a kerf therein parallel to said planes and above said two kerfs in the second and fourth edges.

7. A rectangular ceiling tile to be hung on horizontal runners in an assembly of a plurality of such tiles, said tile having a kerf therein with an upper kerf-face lying in a first plane in a first edge and having a kerf in each of the two adjacent edges and in a common second plane, said planes being parallel to the exposable ceiling face of said tile, each of said kerfs in said second plane having at least a portion thereof located between the lowermost portion of the kerf in said first edge and said eXp-osable ceiling face.

8. A tile according to claim 7 in which the first edge has a flange projecting from the side of the kerf therein toward said exposable ceiling face with the lowerface of the flange extending said ceiling face :of the tile, and in which the edge opposite said first edge has a projecting flange having a thickness to overlie said first-edge flange when two such tiles are in coplanar relation with a first edge of one tile abutting the opposite edge of the second tile.

9. A ceiling comprising a plurality of assembled rectangular tiles, a plurality of equally spaced parallel runners, and a plurality of splines, each runner having a vertical depending web and a terminal horizontal flange, said runners being mounted with said flanges extending in the same direction in a common plane, each tile having a first edge with a kerf therein containing a said flange, said kerf having an upper face in a first plane parallel to the exposed ceiling face of the tile, each tile having in each of its second and fourth edges adjacent said first edge a spline-receiving kerf in a common second plane parallel to said first plane and between said exposed ceiling face and said terminal flange, each spline being extending the ceiling face of the tile, the third edge of each tile opposite said first edge having a second flange projecting therefrom and having a thickness and width to overlie said first edge flange when joined tiles are in abutting relation with the first edge of one tile against the opposite edge of the abutting tile.

10. A ceiling comprising a plurality of assembled rectangular tiles, a plurality of equally spaced parallel runners, and a plurality of splines, each runner having a vertical depending web and a terminal horizontal flange, said runners being mounted with said flanges extending in the same direction in a common plane, each tile having a first edge with a kerf therein containing a said flange, said kerf having an upper face in a first plane parallel to the exposed ceiling face of the tile, each tile having in each of its second and fourth edges adjacent said first edge a spline-receiving kerf in a common second plane parallel to said first plane and between said exposed ceiling face and said terminal flange, each spline being an elongated strip of metal capable of sliding in a splinereceiving kerf and along another spline in the same kerf, the length of the spline being not greater than the length of the spline-receiving kerf, each spline being positioned with its two ends in kerfs of adjacent joined tiles and its side edges in kerfs of adjacent joined tiles, the portions of the first edge and of the opposite and third edge being complementary for a closed joint at least at the regions below the splines, said complementary edgestbeing at a separation distance the same as the spacing of the runners, and the portions of the first and third edges upwardly from the terminal flange being separated by a distance less than the spacing of the runners by an amount at least to accommodate the thickness of the vertical webs of the runners.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 

1. A RECTANGULAR CEILING TILE TO BE HUNG ON HORIZONTAL RUNNERS IN AN ASSEMBLY OF A PLURALITY OF SUCH TILES, SAID TILE HAVING A KERF LYING IN A FIRST PLANE IN A FIRST EDGE AND HAVING A KERF IN EACH OF THE TWO ADJACENT EDGES AND IN A COMMON SECOND PLANE, SAID PLANES BEING PARALLEL TO THAT FACE OF THE TILE TO BE EXPOSED WHEN MOUNTED IN A CEILING, EACH OF SAID KERFS IN SAID SECOND PLANE HAVING AT LEAST A PORTION THEREOF LOCATED BETWEEN THE KERF IN SAID FIRST PLANE AND SAID EXPOSABLE CEILING FACE OF THE TILE. 